Frequently Asked Questions

Language Testing

Is it a requirement to take a foreign language?

SUNY has General Education requirements in ten core areas. If you are going to graduate from a State University of New York college, you'll need a minimum of three units of an approved college level foreign language. Check with the individual requirements of the college where you are going to graduate.

If I want to be a teacher, do I have to study a foreign language?

The State of New York presently requires six units of study at the college level in a foreign language. Most colleges in the Rochester area require that those six units be sequential in the same language.

Should I take a conversation course?

Conversation courses are the ideal way to learn to speak a language. Conversation courses offer time and guidance in a supervised setting to speak the foreign language. Fluency, comprehension and self-expression are the focus, not grammar or spelling. At MCC, the 111 course cover the vocabulary and grammatical content introduced in 101. In that fashion, 112 pairs with 102, 113 pairs with 103 and 114 pairs with 104. Ideally, a student takes the conversation course concurrently with the core course (i.e. 101 with 111), but conversation courses can be taken alone when one has previously mastered the vocabulary and grammar for that level.

What can I do with a degree in Foreign Languages?

Foreign lnguage students can apply their skills in numerous ways.

When is the Foreign Film Fest?

The World Languages and Cultures Department organizes a Foreign Film Fest each spring and fall. Films are shown in French, German, Italian, Spanish and other world languages such as Farsi, Hungarian, or Mandarin. The event is free and open to the public.

How can I study foreign languages beyond the level offered at MCC?

Due to reciprocal agreements with area colleges, there are opportunities for full-time MCC students to take an advanced-level foreign language course at four-year colleges in the Rochester area. Click here for more details or contact the chair of the department, Louis Silvers at 292-3305.

If I am fluent in a language other than English, how can I get credit for it?

Monroe Community College is following a standard practice used by all colleges and universities in referring to the Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Educational Institutions as developed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Students coming to MCC with verified transfer credit in any foreign language receive MCC credit in the form of General Elective, Humanities, or generic Foreign Language credit. Students coming to Monroe Community College without college or university transcripts of foreign language credit, have the following options:

Following are the options for students with fluency in languages taught at MCC who are seeking foreign language credit without college/university transcripts:

After consultation with the WLC Department Chair, the student enrolls in the appropriate level MCC foreign language course for credit and completes the course requirements, as stated in the Course Information Sheet. The instructor will determine the range of acceptable participation. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will receive both credit and a grade.

The student is referred to the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exam testing program (only available in German, French, and Spanish), where up to 12 college credits can be earned. The student earns no grade, just credit. For more information on CLEP exams and local test sites, please contact the Office of Experiential and Adult Learning in Building 3, Room 108 at the Brighton Campus (585) 292-3219 or see the official CLEP website at www.collegeboard.com.

The student can receive credit by exam through the department only in those language courses currently in the curriculum but not offered. The student earns no grade, just credit.

For students with fluency in foreign languages not taught at MCC who are seeking foreign language credit without college/university transcripts, we offer the opportunity to earn up to 16 college credits through the NYU Proficiency Testing in Foreign Languages program, which offers the possibility of taking the test off-site. The department chair will provide the student with the necessary forms and information. MCC Admissions Office will offer one academic credit for each NYU “point” earned on the exam. The student earns no grade, just credit.

Does MCC offer Dual Credit courses in the Foreign Languages?

MCC offers Dual Credit courses in French, German, Italian or Spanish at some of the area high schools. Dual Credit courses are taught by area high school teachers on the high school campus . The courses follow MCC's college curriculum for MCC college credit. For information on how to begin such a program at your area high school, contact the coordinator, Professor Louis Silvers. Click here for more information on Dual Credit at MCC.